Muslim leaders and residents in Uttar Pradesh express concern at the controversial priestess for branding madrasas as terrorism training centres
BAGHPAT — Sadhvi Prachi who has climbed the Hindutva ladder through her hate speeches has again made a series of inflammatory statements targeting the country’s Muslim community, particularly focusing on madrasas and Maulana Arshad Madani, president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.
The controversial priestess labelled madrasas in Uttar Pradesh as centres for terrorist training and called for their closure, insisting that terrorism will persist in the country if these institutions are allowed to operate.
Addressing a crowd, Prachi specifically demanded investigations into madrasas in western Uttar Pradesh, including Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur. “These institutions are breeding grounds for extremism,” she said. “Unless the government acts, the nation will continue to face threats.”
Her remarks also included a direct attack on Maulana Arshad Madani. Prachi alleged that his recent statements aim to provoke unrest and create a “civil war-like situation” in the country. She criticised the existence of two parallel education systems, questioning why one country and one constitution should allow such divisions.
Maulana Madani has alleged discrimination against Muslims in the context of multiple investigations into Al Falah University, in connection with the November 10 Red Fort blasts.
Community leaders have condemned Sadhvi Prachi’s comments as provocative and misleading. “Madrasas are legitimate centres of religious learning and play an essential role in the education of children in our community,” said Maulana Asif Qadri, a cleric from Muzaffarnagar. “To label them as terrorism training centres without evidence is not only false but dangerous. Statements like these risk inciting hatred and suspicion against Muslims.”
Prachi further attacked a statement by Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir declaring that he would lay the foundation stone of a ‘Babri Masjid’ on December 6 in Beldanga, Murshidabad district, a date that marks 33 years since the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. “No mosque will be built in the name of Babar anywhere in the country, because Indians have now awakened,” she said.
She also commented on the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of the electoral rolls, claiming that infiltrators should be “thrown out by the ears” and insisting that India is not a “dharamshala” but a homeland for Indians only. Activists have argued that such rhetoric can alienate minority populations and contribute to social instability.
“Statements targeting religious leaders and institutions are extremely worrying,” noted Fatima Shaheen, a social activist in Saharanpur. “Instead of fostering dialogue and understanding, they polarise communities and deepen fear among Muslims, who are already cautious about safety and prejudice.”
Sadhvi Prachi’s remarks have sparked heated discussion in political and social circles, with some supporting her stance while many others, particularly from the Muslim community, expressing concern about the implications for communal harmony in western Uttar Pradesh.
“The community feels under attack,” said Abdul Rahman, a resident of Baghpat. “Our children attend madrasas peacefully. These sweeping accusations paint all of us as threats, which is simply untrue and hurtful.”
The controversy comes at a time when tensions over religious and educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh are already high, with several incidents in recent months highlighting the fragile communal balance in the region. Muslim leaders are calling for calm and measured responses from all sides, emphasising that education and faith must be respected within the legal framework of India.
